Optimal Strategy

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American Express announced earlier this year that the Amex Mercedes-Benz Platinum and the Amex Mercedes-Benz credit card were going to be discontinued on January 11, 2019. Amex Mercedes-Benz cardholders recently got notified of changes to their account.

Forced Product Changes to the Mercedes-Benz Cards

Mercedes-Benz Platinum => Amex Platinum (Vanilla)

Mercedes-Benz Credit Card => Amex EveryDay Preferred

Effective January 11, 2019, the Amex Mercedes-Benz Platinum card will be converted into a regular Amex Platinum card.

The Amex Mercedes-Benz credit card will be converted to an Amex EveryDay Preferred card.

As a reminder, you typically can’t product change a co-branded card to a core American Express product. These changes are only possible when a co-branded product is discontinued a forced product change takes place.

Optimal Strategy

Once the forced product change happens for the Amex Mercedes-Benz Platinum card happens, you will no longer be eligible for a regular Amex Platinum bonus since you will have the card already.

Per the Amex terms of service, welcome offers are not available to applicants who have or have had the respective product.

via amex terms of service

There are two routes you can take:

Sign up for the regular Amex Platinum card before January 11, 2019 to get the welcome offer after fulfilling the minimum spend requirement.

Depending on how long you’ve had the Amex Mercedes-Benz Platinum card, cancel the card before January 11, 2019.

If your Amex Mercedes-Benz card is over 12 months old, you’re in the clear to cancel. However, if it’s less than 12 months old, canceling can be seen as “gaming the system.”

via amex terms of service

The same strategies apply to those who have the Amex Mercedes-Benz credit card that will be product changed to the Amex EveryDay Preferred card.

If you’re in the position to cancel Amex Mercedes-Benz Platinum, I recommend waiting until January 2019 and waiting for benefit credits to post. After you use the credits, feel free to cancel before January 11, 2019.

$15 Uber/UberEats

$100 airline fee credit

$50 Saks Fifth Avenue credit

= $165 in credits

Speculation

If you look at the current credit card landscape, it’s possible that Mercedes-Benz ended their contract with American Express, and another credit issuer could take its place. We’ll have to wait and see if there’s a new Mercedes-Benz card that’s introduced in 2019.

Apple and Goldman Sachs will partner to create a new iPhone-connected credit card set to launch later this year. According to the WSJ, the card will integrate with the iPhone to track spending, points, and help with budget management.

Booking a flight with the right credit card can make or break a trip, especially if unexpected delays happen. Missed connections or canceled flights can leave a hole in your wallet, and some airlines will only provide food vouchers and overnight accommodations if the delay with within their control.

There’s a misconception going around that the Amex Platinum card earns 5x on ALL hotel stays. To clarify, the Amex Platinum only earns 5x points when you book hotel nights through amextravel.com or the Fine Hotels and Resorts Collection (FHR).

Marriott recently announced the upcoming changes to their loyalty program, Bonvoy. There’s a lot of information to digest like rebranding cards, new cards, status, and key dates.

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Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, vendors or companies, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

AskSebby Disclaimer: Content on AskSebby represents one individual’s experiences and viewpoints, and your experience may differ. The owner of this site is not an investment advisor, financial planner, nor a legal or tax professional. Articles here are of an opinion and general nature and should not be relied upon for individual circumstances. Research and obtain professional advice regarding all credit decisions before attempting to duplicate any of the techniques described on this website.